The Sun. — London, England, 1864-05-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAI IYIENT HOUSE OP COMMONS—Last E vening, The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS., The following bills were read a third time and passed : Trough Ferry Road, East Indian Railway, Edinburgh and Leith Sewerage, Great Northern Railway (No. 1) (Barnet Branch, &c.), London and South Western Railway (Chertsey Extension), Midland Railway (Chesterfield to Sheffield), Moira and Greeley Road, West Shropshire Mineral Railway (Branches, &c.), and West Shropshire Mineral Railway (New Lines). THE VOTES FOR PROMOTION OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. Mr. GREGORY gave notice that on the civil service estimates being proceeded with he would move that the sum proposed for the purpose of science and arts, namely £16,000,. should be reduced. CORRESPONDENCE ON THE AFFAIRS OF SIAM. . In reply to Sir J. HAY, Sir C. WOOD said he had received some further corre spondence on the affairs of Siam and Tuanganu, which, he hoped shortly to be able to lay on the table. TENURE AND IMPROVEMENT OF LAND IN IRELAND. Mr. MAGUIRE asked Mr. Attorney-General for Ir e land, whether he considered the Tenure and Improvement of Land Act of 1860 a sufficient protection for the Irish tenant, and a sufficient inducement to the expenditure of the tenant's capital, labour, and skill in effecting improve ments ; and if he considered the existing law to be deficient, either as a stimulus to increased exertion or as a protection for the enjoyment of its results, was he prepared to advise her Majesty's Government to introduce a measure, either now or at a future time, with a view to its amend ment. Mr. O'HAGAN said that the present question was one of a rather novel nature, and he regretted to say that he did not think the act of 1860 would have the operation indicated in the question, as it had practically failed in reference to Ireland, as appeared trona the official report. He could not give any opinion as to so important a subject as the present without stating his reasons, which he understood was opposed to the practice of the house. As regarded the other part of the question, he could only say, that in any thing he advised he would be dictated by a desire to pro mote the interests of Ireland. MBDIA.TION H OF THE KING OF PORTUGAL IN TE AFFAIRS OF BRAZIL. Mr. MACAULAY asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it was true that the Brazilian Government, since hiideclaration made in February that her Majesty's Government had from the beginning accepted the proposed mediation or good offices of the King of Portugal, have now signified their acceptance ; whether the King of Portugal adhered to his offer; whether it was an offer of mediation or good offices : whether any communication had been received by her Majesty's Government from that of Brazil in reply to the following passage in Earl Russell's despatch of June 6, 1863, on suspendingdiplomatic relations: " Her Majesty's Government hope that the Government of Brazil will, in its future intercourse with Great Britain, through whatever channel that intercourse may be carried on, act with that courtesy which is usual between Govern ments; and also that the Brazilian Government will, with out further delay, frankly enter into the communication of their views as to the means by which a settlement of the long pending claims may best be arrived at and whether there is any objection to presenting to Parliament the cor respondence about British claims on Brazil, as the Brazilian Government had laid the cm respondence before theßrazilian Legislature, and statements founded on that publication have appeared in England. Mr. LAYARD said, with regard to the first question, the Government had not received any official information, but he understood that the King of Portugal was ready to give his services as the mediator alluded to. He believed that the Brazilian Government would shortly make an official communication on the subject. As related to the third question, he thought it would be better not to give any explanation at present, as there were reasons to believe that amicable relations between the two countries would be shortly resumed. POOR RELIEF. In reply; to Mr. GOS , CHEN, Mr. VILLIERS expressed his opinion that the report of the :elect committee on poor relief would be shortly pre sented. With respect to giving any opinion as to a mea sure being brought forward by the Government founded upon that report, he would defer giving an answer to that questicn until the Government had seen the report. BATTERSEA PARK. In reply to Mr. AYILTON, Mr. CO\% PER said that a fifth portion of the park had been appropriated to the use of the Civil Service, and al thouEh there was some jealousy on the part of some of the cricketers using the ground, there was no real ground for complaint. ROYAL ACADEMY, ck,3. In reply to Lord ELcHo, Mr, COWPER said that his noble friend would have ample opportunity of bringing this subject forward on a future occasion, and the Government proposed to lay on the table of the house an estimate for the building of the New National Gallery. In reply to Mr. GREGORY, Mr. COWPER said that the reply of the Royal Aca demy would be laid on the table in a fortnight, and the other report referred to had not yet been prevented. THE CASE OF MR. BEWICKE. In reply to Mr. BERKELEY, Sir G GREY said that the prisoner was not indicted for conspiracy, and Hutchinson had been released on the re commendation of the judge who heard the case. SEIZURE OF THE BARQUE SCIENCE. In reply to Mr. BLAKE, Mr. LAYARD said that as far as her Majesty's Govern ment was concerned the case was going through the ordi nary course in the prize courts. .Despatches had been received from the consul at New Orleans to the effect that for the present the hearing of the case had been suspended. There was nothing in the case that required the special in terference of her Majesty's Government, ILLNESS OF LORD PALMERSTON. Mr. NEWDEGATE said that in consequence of a com munication he had received as to the health of the noble lord at the head of the Government, he would postpone the question of which he had given notice. COURTS OF JUSTICE MONEY BILL. In reply to Mr. A. MILLS, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he could not state that the bill would be introduced at present. CHURCH BUILDING BILL. In reply to Mr. HADFIELD, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he did not think this bill could be brought on until after the Whitsuntide holidays. THE CONFERENCE. In reply to Mr. L)ISItAELI, Sir G. GREY said that the Conference had been ad journed from yesterday until Monday next, As the pro cevdingi were private he could not state the reason which induced the members to adjourn. THE ARMY ESTIMATES. After some remarks from Sir H. Winimuomyr and Mr. ANGERSTEIN, the house went into committee of supply on the army estimates. On the vote of £262,216, less by £2,000 than was origi nally proposed, for defraying the expense of the medical department of the army, Colonel NORTH callod attention to the present ineffi cient state of the medical department of the army, and ob served that, so far from carrying out the recommendations of the committee of 1858, in favour of having one surgeon and two assistant -surgeons to every regiment, there were no less than 200 medical vacancies in the army. The hon. and gallant member referred to the evidence of the Com mander-in-Chief, Sir Richard Airey, and other experienced offiozs of distinction, to show the necessity of having the medical staff of t he army increased ; but such was the state of things at present, that, although there were 200 vacan cies, medical students could not he induced to enter the service. The Marquis of HARTINGTON admitted that there was considerable difficulty in obtaining a proper supply of medi cal officers for the army, but he could not allow that that was owing to the provisions of the warrant to which the gallant colonel (North) had alluded not having been car ried into effect. On the contrary, those provisions had been very fairly given effect to. He was afraid that if the defi ciency was to be met, it must be through the House of Com mons granting increased remuneration to the medical officers of the army. The vote was agreed to. On the vote of £783,783, for defraying the charg e of the disembodied militia, Colonel DUNNE complained that the expenses thrown on anbaltern officers in the militia deterred gentlemen from joining that branch of the service. Colonel Noma said that the forage allowance to mounted officers in the militia was very inadequate. Lord ENFIELD said that it was at present very difficult to obtain subaltern officers in the militia. The Marquis of II A ItT IN GTO N believed that the allow ances made to militia regiments for expenses incurred dur ing the period they were out for training were in general sufficient. The vote was then agreed to. The vote of E 17,886 for defraying the charge of the yeomanry cavalry generally was like% ise agreed to. On the vote of £39,3G0 for the permanent duty, training, and exercising of the yeomanry cavalry, Mr. LM W SON rose to oppose. Fr om h paring the speeches of the noble lord the Prime Minister and the noble lord the Under-Secretary of State for War, he had voted against calling out the yeomanry cavalry this year. A week after wards he read a paragraph in the Times newspaper, stating that a deputation of yeomanry cavalry officers had waited on the noble lord, and the noble lord had said that, since the last vote in the House of Commons, the Government had carefully considered the subject. Ho (Mr. Lawson) only regretted that the Government had not "carefully considered the subject" before calling upon the house to vote upon it. (Laughter.) " Within the last few days ad ♦ices lied been received from New Zealand —(laughter)— that were so favourable, that the Government would be able to have the yeomanry cavalry without any addition to the amount of the estimates. He had, therefore, great satisfac tion in stating that the yeomanry would be called out this year, The noble lord also complimented tho ye , m anry on their efficiency, and said he believed them to be a necessary auxiliary to the rifle volunteers." (Laughter.) The lion, member said, in concluding, he considered this an increase of warlike expenditure in time of peace, and, although the vote was small, he should oppose it, because the sum was not required., (Hear, hear.) The Mar quis of HARTINGTON observed, that since the estimr.te was framed news had arrived that the war in New Zealand would be concluded sooner than was antici- pated. The necessity that existed before for the reduction of eie sum for the yeomanry no longer existed, and that sv'As the reason of the course taken by the noble lord at the head of the Government. (Hear.) News had been received that day from New Zealand equally, if not more, favourable in its character. Therefore, the anticipations on which that vote was added to the estimates had been fully carried out. After a few words from Mr. WILLIAMS and Colonel ED WARDS, in favour of the yeomanry, the committee divided. For the vote Against it Majority for the vote —93 The vote was then agreed to. The vote of £326,260 for the volunteers, after some dis- cession, was agreed to. The neat vote proposed waa £49,850 for enrolled pen sioners and the army reserve force. After some discussion it was agreed to. On the sum of L 973,031 being proposed for defraying the expense of the manufacturing department and materials for the manufacture of warlike stores, Lord ELCHO, in remarking upon the large sum for the manufacture of small arms, said that since 1851 a new spirit appeared to take possession of the minds of men with regard to the discovery of the best small arm for the de struction of the human species. The result was that, as concerned the army of tkis country, it was, with the excep tion, perhaps, of the Prussian army, the best armed in the world. The rifle was now the weapon of the British army, and every marksman was fully aware of its great supe riority over the Brown Bess of former times. He would now call attention to the broad results arrived at by the Ord nance select committee, who had carefully inquired into the merits of the Whitworth large-bore rifle with service am munition, and the Enfield rifle. The conclusion at which the committee had arrived was, that the ordinary Enfield was inferior to every large-bore rifle they had tried. The report of the committee condemned the Enfield rifle as re garded accuracy beyond the distance of 600 yards—but the committee at the same time tried another r.fle which took service ammunition, and was remarkably free from fouling, vlz., the Lancaster oval-bore rifle. He understood that there were 170,000,000 of ball cartridges in store, and although the report of the Ordnance committee bearing on this matter had .been issued in No vember, 1862, it had remained a dead letter ever since in the archives of the War-office. But in the meantime the manufacture of small arms had not ceased, for there were sums of money annually voted for the purpose, and rifles of the condemned description, to the amount of upwards of £130,000, had been manufactured by the Government since November, 1862. He was aware that attention had been drawn to another description of large-bore ri&, which promised to give better results than the Lancaster large-bore, at.d that it was desired to have another trial of the Enfield. But why the Government should thiak it necessary to have any more trials of the Enfield he was at a loss to conceive. The Whitworth rifle used an ammunition totally different from the service, so that if it were a dopted it wculd necessitate the loss of the 170,000.000 of ball cartridges, and the adoption of new ma chinery. He ventured to think that the Government, as soon as they saw the report of the Ordnance committee, should have stopped the manufacture of the inferior article and availed themselves of the Lancaster rifle. There were great differences of opinion in urea's minds about the com parative merits of breech-loaders and muzzle-loaders ; but all the old soldiers he had conversed with on the subject expressed a preference for the breech-loader. If they sup posed that the army of this country were ordered to Den mark, everybody would be of opinion that it would be of the greatest importance they should be armed with the same weapon as the Prussian army, to whom they would be op posed. The Prussian army had for many years been armed with the breech-loader ; and the Emperor of the Freneh was trying to get the best breech-loader; and therefore he thought her Majesty's Government should direct immediate attention to the expediency of adopting breech-loaders. The Marquis of HARTINGTON said the result of the experiments which the Ordnance select committee had been conducting was, that they considered the Whitworth small-bore rifle the best military weapon which had come before them. At the same time, they did not Lecommeud a total re-armament of the troops for the present, as that would necesitate a change in the ammunition; but 8,000 of these arms would be issued, and especially the 60th Rises and the Rifle Brigade—regiments quartered in all parts of the work—would be armed with them. As for the Lancaster rifle, it was only superior to the Enfield at dis tances exceeding 500 yards. And though upon the whole the committee were bound to testify that the Lancaster was the superior weapon, it was the duty of Lord Do Grey to see it that superiority was likely to be maintained, and to judge if the competition which had already taken place was to be final. It was much bet ter to make the trials as full and complete as possible. Ho did not allow that Mr. Lancaster had been badly treated, and in proof of that he might say that Mr Lancaster had signed a receipt in full for all his claims, and that the War Department had deter mined not to oppose the renewal of his patent. His own impression was that ultimately both Mr Whitworth's small bore and large bore would be adopted. As to breech loaders, it would never do, in the face of the doubts which existed as to the value of the principle, suddenly to adopt breech loaders for the general use of the army. Mr. VIVIAN supported the adoption of breech loaders, and condemned the slew degrees with which the experi ments were being conducted, The large bore Whitworth was just twice as accurate as the Lancaster rifle, which Lord Elcho blamed the Geverment for not having adopted. There was another point to which military men attached great importance, and that was the use of hardened projec tiles. Now these could not be used with the Lancaster rifle, while the Whitworth was admirably adapted for firing them. He did not think the Government was fairly censurable for the course they had taken. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY thought that both the present and past Governments were to blame for expending large sums of money before they had made up their minds which was the best weapon. He also complained of the increase of the charge of the establishments included in this vote, and said he would move a reduction of £6,000 upon the vote, being the difference between the sum asked for in the present year and that expended on the same de partments four years ago. He thought that Government manufacture was carried too far, and that many things were made in the national establishments which might be more economically obtained by contract. He wished to know what hal become of the enormous sum of money which had been expended on guns during the last few years, and especially on Armstrong guns. From 1858 to 1863 two millions and a half (besides what had been expended o, ammunition) had been expended on these guns. £183,000 had been laid out on 110 •pounders before it was ascertained whether that class of guns would answer. As a matter of fact, they turned out ill. Was, then, this £183,000 lost? The hon. barenet concluded by moving the reduction of the vote by £6,000. Captain JERVIS said that as improvements went on it became requisite to keep pace with them, and this neces sarily entailed considerable expense, The noble lord (Lord Elcho) had looked at the question of the small arms more with regard to target firing than with reference to use in the field. The great advantage of the Lancaster rifle was that it did not require the constant cleaning which was ne cessary for the Enfield and Whitworth rifles. Mr. COBDEN thought that the hon, baronet the mem ber for Evesham had put his finger on a blot when he traced the growth of our expenditure of late years to the increase in our establishments. In 1841 we paid £600,000 for wages in our dockards and for establish ment charges, This year we paid £1,300,000, besides £450,000 for vessels built by contract. In the army estimates an item for wages and superintendence was almost unknown in 1841 ; this year it amounted to £520,000, The House might depend upon it that when so large an amount was paid on wages the Government was incurring an immense amount of waste, because when ever they paid as a Government they would pay an immensely higher price than they would in purchasing from a private establishment. Another most serious view of the question was :that whatever the heads of depart ments came for in that House they were sure to obtain. (Hear, hear.) Since he came into the House twenty-three years ago they had voted upwards of £500,000,000 under the heads of army, navy, and ordnance, and he had never known an item reduced or even altered in that House. (Hear. hear.) Some people might say that the discussions in that House must have an effect, inasmuch as there w as publicity attending them ; but the discussions seemed to have no effect whatever on the heads of departments, who knew that all they asked for would be granted, and were consequently encouraged in making their demands. There was no representative body in the world where there was not a right of s u p ervision, exce p t in the En g lish House f Parliament. They had all read of a most important which was subjected to the revision under v th o e te c i o n rp F s as L ri eg , islatif, and was considerably reduced. In Americ a su pervision was exe rcised ; but in the En g lish House of Commons he never knew one item revised. With reference to the wake he ventured to say that much Came under the heads of stores and manufacturing hey had sometimes heard 1. services. (H ear, h ear .) attempts made to show that the Government manufac turing establishments could be carried on as cheaply as private establishments. Now be had friends on his left and right who were largely engaged in business; they had taken some pains in the investigation of the subject; and he never heard one man in business who would not have agreed that the Government wasted one , half in all they manufactured for themselves. This was not merely in the nature of the waste from the articles made, but arose from the Government being their own customers, and from having a large establishment where they were constantly obligcd to make things, in order to 'HE employ their men and machinery. (Hear, hear.) They rushed into this establishment with an almost bot tomless purse to go upon. Take the case of iron ord nance ; take the case of Armstrong guns. Up to the last seven years the Government had never attempted to manu facture a gun at all. They had a sort of plaything for the manufacture of guns of brass; but the victories of Nelson and Wellington were all won by guns manufactured at pri vate establishments. But five or six years ago the Govern • ment declared that the consummation of all inventions was reached in this Armstrong gun. They organised an im mense establishment at Woolwich to manufacture the Arm strong gun. After some years a committee sat, and the result of their investigations, as the hon. member for Evesham said, was that £2,500,000 had been spent, exclu sive of ammunition; and the committee admitted that all the guns except the 12-pounder field-piece, which was a good gun before, had been failures. That should be a warning to the house how they proceeded with that waste. He attached no importance to the motion of the hon, mem ber for Evesham. He did not think it necessary to stop there five minutes in order to vote with him for £6,000. Having seen that for 23 years no vote had ever been refused by that house, he thought a man might abandon the attempt to reduce a vote without any imputation on his character. He did not think any change need be made in our estimates this Parliament, but he did think the subject of our manu facturing establishments ought to be entered upon and dis cussed in that house. He hoped the subject would he brought forward by some one more competent than himself. If not, he would certainly venture to call the attention of the house to the increase of our establishments, the way they were carried on, and the great waste of the resources of the country from them. (Hear, hear.) Colonel DUNNE was glad to hear that the right hon. gentleman would exercise his influence in reducing the immense manufactures of the Government. The Marquis of HARTING lON could not deny that within the last few years the manufacturing votes had increased; but while the manufacturing votes had in creased, the votes for stores had not increased with them. By keeping the manufacturing establishments in an efficient working state, the Government could dispense with that which was the most expensive of all things—the keeping up of an enormous collection of stores to be ready in case of war. If they had no means of getting at a short notice a large supply of warlike stores, they must have a large supply of such stores in the storehouse ready for any emergency. The amount of money required for keeping such stores was considerable, and to that must be added the probability that in this age of progress any warlike article they stored Eight be superseded in a few years, and become obsolete. There fore they ought to have manutactories upon which they could depend in time of war. With regard to the question of waste, he was sure no hon. member whose mind was unprejudiced on the subject could read the report of the committee and say that any word in it tended to show that the system of manufacture conducted in the arsenal was more expensive than the private establishment at Elswick. It was with considerable difficulty that Mr Rendell and Mr Noble, partners in the Elswick factory, brought the com mittee to the conclusion that the prices were not very con siderably in excess of those at which the Government manufactories and laboratory supplied the articles. He could not see that the evidence given before the committee tendrd to warrant the sweeping condemnation of all the Armstrong guns except the 12 pounders, nor could he find the paragraph to which the hon. member for Rochdale had referred, as stating that the manufacture of these guns should be suspended. With respect to the Acecuuts, altera tions were going on at this moment, and he hoped in future they would still further show the house what money was spent in labour and material, and what was the cost of the articles manufactured at the Government establishment, After some further remarks from Captain Jzavis aad the Marquis of HARTINGTON the committee divided For the amendment 35 Against it Majority .. —45 The vote was then agreed to. A sum of £372,519 was proposed for warlike stores, which was agreed to after a short discussion. Colonel BARTELOTT moved that the chairman should report progress. _ _ The motion was agreed to, and the House resumed. UNDER-SECRETARIES INDEMNITY BILL. This bill was read a second time. LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPLEMENTAL ACT. This bill passed through committee. UNION ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ACT AMEND MENT. This bill was read a second time. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES (FOREIGN COUN TRIES) BILL. This bill was read a second time. The house adjourned at 25 minutes past one o'clock. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, RAILWAY BILLS. Yesterday the case for what are termed the southern works of the London, Chatham, and Dover Company was concluded, and that for the London and Brighton Company, who propose a line and works in the same district, was opened by Mr. Mcrewether and Mr. Venablas. The Hon. S. Fitz gerald was heard in its favour, and subsequently Mr. Swale, one of the governors of Dulwich Col lege, against Mr. Bidder, C.E,, was examined and cross-examined at great length on the engineering features of the proposed Great Eastern and North ern Junctions. Additional evidence for the pro moters was adduced in favour of the North Devon Extensions of the London and South Western . The proceedings o❑ the proposed extension lines to Blackburn of the Lancashire and Yorkshire, and of the amalgamation of the Oswestry and Newton, and the numerous other Welsh rail ways, consisted of the opposition in each case, Mr. Cawkwell, the general manager of the London and North-Western being examined by Mr. Pope for the company in the former, and Mr. Griersoo, of the Great Western, in the latter. The merits of the Dublin Grand Junction Railway are still under consideration in the committee of which Mr. Baillio is chairman. The unopposed bills considered and passed in Mr. Massey's committee were the bill for sundry short extensions of the Scottish North Eastern and Scottish Central Companies, and to raise £25,000 as new 5 per cent. preference capital ; the Alford and Mablethorpe, for a railway of eight miles from a junction with the East Lincolnshire line at Alford station to a point on the sea beach near Gibraltar, to raise a further capital of £OO,OOO and £20,000 loan ; Tamarkit-hill and Callington, of seven mites, in Cornwall; London, Chatham, and Dover (No. 1); Scottish North-Eastern and Central (Dundee and Forfar and New tyle); Edinburgh and Glasgow and Alva ; Petersfield ; Corris and Commercial Docks and Grand Surrey Docks Amal gamation. In the House of Lords the case for the East and West Junction was concluded, and the competing line of the Bloekley and Banbury came on for hearing. General evidence occupied the sitting. NORTHERN OF FRANCE, The general meeting of this company was held on the 26th ult. in Paris—Baron James de R)ths- ' child, the president, in the chair. M. DELEBECQUE, the vice-president, read the re port, which refers to the terms of a convention ell. tered into with the Minister of Public Works for abrogating certain arrangements made with the State in 1859 and 1863, relative to a guarantee of interest to be given to the shares of the new Enes in case the net returns should be insufficient. As the new lines had not exceeded the original estimates, and were not likely to diminish the company's receipts, no necessity existed for any aid from the State, and consequently there was no advantage in having the lines divided. The board, therefore, had no doubt that the shareholders would ratify the new and amended arrangements. The two new branches wonld cost about 12,500,000 f. (.f.:500,000), which would give an ample return from the nature of the country through which the lines were to run. The new terminus at Paris was finished in its most essen tial parts, and the greatest portion of the various offices were now occupied. The expense had be(' 4,315,513 f. (L 178,820). Out of Paris the expenses for the lines completed and at work had been less than during the preceding year, consisting princi pally of improvements in the stations, sheds, and gas lighting. On the new lines the works were going on with regularity. On the lines from Boulogne to Calais, the tunnel near the former town had been commenced at five places, the whole length being 1,400 metres. The principal tunnel on the line, from Amiens to Rouen, that of Sommery, 1,500 metres in length, presented no difficulties, and had been set tled on satisfactory terms. The works on the lines from Amiens to Sergnier, and from Soissons to Leon, were going on steadily. The Government authorities had not yet given in their approbation to the plans submitted to them for the lino from Lisle to Tournay, but the board hoped to be able to commence the works during the present summer. The whole outlay on the old lines in 1863 had been 5,895,300 f. (2213,812), which when added to the preceding expenditure, gave a total of 439,375,800 (X 17,574,232). The outlay on the new linee for the year was 11,168,181 f. (X 446,727), which when added to the expense previously made, brought the entire amount to 68,910,681 f. (L 2,756,427). It was in order to encourage the expedition of coals from the more distant localities that since the Ist of September last, the company had lowered the charge to 7f. 80c. per 1,000 tons, no matter where from, in place of Bf. to 10f., the charge pre viously. In particular the Belgian coals had dimi nished from 463,000 tons in 1860 to 405,000 in 1861, and 379,000 in 1862. French coals had, on the other hand, presented an increase for short dis tances, but the company was more anxious about the longer distances, as infinitely more remunera tive. The company was now trying the experi ment of endeavouring to make up the loss by lower tariffs by obtaining a larger quantity sent. Look ing at results of the working for the past year there was an increase of 1,779,060 f. (L 71,160) in the re ceipts ; a diminution in the expenses of 816,000 f. (L 32,640), which with a balance left over from 1862 of 10,0001. (L 400), gave an augmentation of 2,605,000f.(L104,200) from which must be deducted for increased interest on the new shares and other charges a totalof 1,665,000 f. (L 66,000), leaving anet profit of 940,0001. (L 37,000). That sum would be sufficient to pay the full dividend due in 1863 on the last series of the new shares. The complete assimilation of the old and new shares was thus realised without any difference taking place in the revenue of the whole of the company's shares. Since the shares had been increased from 400,000 to 526,000, the board had to arrange so as to meet each year the increased sum required for the dividend. The total receipts on revenue account, after certain deductions, amounted for the year 1863 to 67,468,6771. (L 2,698,747), and the expenses to 25,247,271 f. (L 1,009,919), leaving a surplus of 42,220,706 f. (L 1,688,828), which sum, after paying the sinking sunk, interest, and other charges, gave a dividend of 621. per share, payable on and after the Ist of July next. The report was unanimously adopted, the divi dend declared, and the convention with the Mini ster of Public Works was bgreed to. A credit of 12,500,00 0 f. was accorded for the new branch lines. The outgoing directors, Barons James, Lionel, and Anthony de Rothschild, M. Henri Barbet, and M. Felix Vernes, were reelected, and the proceed ings terminated. VAUX ALL-B RIDGE, The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yesterday at the London Tavern—Mr G. Neath in the chair. The report stated that the tolls received for the half-year ending the 24th of April amounted to £4,780, ac against £4,888 in the corresponding period of the previous year. The total receipts, including a balance of £2,6G0, had been £7,650 ; and the expenditure £5,653, leaving a balance of £1,997. The tolls for the year ending April, 1864, had produced £10,131 as against £11,164 in 1863, showing a decrease of £1,032. The decrease had been owing to the traffic of the bridge being greatly obstructed by th e wor k s connec t e d w i t h t h e ma i n drainage. A di v id en d o f 13 s p er s h are on 5,600 shares was declared, pyable on the Ist of June. The retiring members of the committee having been re-elected, the proceeding terminated with a vote of thanks to 'the chairman. THE TREATMENT OF THE POOR IN BETIINAL-GREEN. OFFICIAL POOR-LAW INQUIRY, Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, Mr. Farnall, Inspector I of the Poor dew Board, opened an official investigation into the circumstances connected with the death of Mary Ann Anfield, the wife of a quill winder. At an inquest recently held upon the body of the deceased by the coroner for the county of Middlesex it was deposed that when she was brought to the workhouse infirmary, on April 29, she was refused admission, and was kept outside the gates in the rain until she became so ill that she exclaimed she should die in the street if she was not taken back. On a subsequent day she was admitted, and while in the workhouse she com plained of the food she got, and said it was unfit to eat. Mr. Cardwell, gate porter of the Bethnal-green Work house, said he had the regulations of the Poor daw Board to guide him. Ills wife was also a paid servant, and resided with him. Sometimes persons came to the gate stating that they were destitute, and required admission to the work house. Witness would refer such people to the relieving officers, who had an office in the workhouse; but if the re lieving officers were absent he would refer to the master. It the master were absent he would not appeal to the matron, but would admit the case himself. The Commissioner said that as ho went through the evi dence he wished to point out any cases in which the officials did not exactly fulfil the tales of the Poor 'law, lle wished to know where the regulations directed the porter to send destitute cases to the relieving officers, instead of admitting them. Mr. Cardwell said let he was directed by the regulations to apply to the master or the matron. In their absence he went to the relieving officers. The Commissioner said that there loq;an the alteration in the rules, He was distinctly told that the master and not the relieving officers had to do with such cases. The Commissioner also said that it was productive of mischief for the Board of G ua rdians to make by •l aws o f their own for the purpose of supplementing or making clearer the regula tions of the Poor Law Board. Mr Cardwell said that he believed the master had directed him to send urgent cases to the relieving-officers, the Commissioner said he wished witness to distinctly understand that he was never to do so again. Mr Cardwell then said that he remembered that on Wed nesday, the 2d of March, Mary Ann Anfield came in a cab to the workhouse gate at about 5 o'clock. Her husband was with her, and he gave Witness a paper, saying, " I have an the paper, and told him that it was a certifi cate from Dr. Moore, and was a recommendation to th e relieving-officers admission for my wife to the workhouse," Wi tness read for her admission. Witness recommended him to leave his wife in the cab until he could see the relieving-officer, and told him to apply at the proper door. 'Witness did not re • collect whether he did so. Witness did not report to the master, as he had not time. About 30 minutes after the arrival of Mrs Anfield he admitted her on the order of Mr Christy, relieving officer, and he put her into the receiving ward, into which she walked. Witness had not heard that she applied on a prior day. He had not seen her. An inmate of the workhouse had attended in his place. Witness had been directed by the relieving officer not to admit ono per son upon an order for the admission of the whole family. The Commissioner said that that was in direct contradic • Lion to the regulations and the law. The witness said that when Mary Ann Anfield was taken to the receiving ward his wife saw to her, and the doctor saw her the same night and again at 8 in the morning. She was removed into the house at 9 o'clock the nest morning. Witness all that time did not report to the master, but took it upon himself to send for the medical officer. The Commissioner said that witness had no such power. The master was the proper person to send for the doctor, and he was responsible. Witness said that the guardians had not given him these directions. After the woman entered the house witness heard nothing of her until she died, on the 27th of Marsh. Aaron An field said to the witness—l brought the deceased to the workhouse gate on the Monday before the Wednes day, the 2d of March, and you spoke to us. Witness—l distinctly swear that I never saw you—at all events to my knowledge. I was all day at the gate on the Monday alluded to. My wife was there also; that was on the 29th February. I forget who the inmate was that as sisted me at the gate on that day. Mr. F. J. Gant, F.R.C.S., surgeon and pathological ana tomist to the Royal Free Hospital, said that, by the direc tion of the coroner, ho made a post mortem examination of the deceased woman, Witness said that having heard the evidence given before the coroner, he believed that death had resulted from congestion of the lungs and from exposure and want of nourishing food and stimulants. If ho had not heard the evidence, there was still sufficient attenuation to show that in the absence of chronic disease she had been subjected to privations. The Commissioner—Suppose you knew that for four weeks before death she had been in the workhouse and had been thoroughly well supplied with stimulants, &s., what would you say was the cause of death Witness—lf I was certain (which lam not, for lam ig.. nerant of the fact) that she had been well fed and taken care of in the house for four weeks before death, I would not venture to say the congestion of the lungs was caused by privation. Convulsions a few hours before death would increase the appearanc e o f c ongestion. Congestion was sometimes a consequ en t on f e ver. Mr James Smart, F.R.C . S . , said that he had been medical officer of the workhouse for 13 years. The deceased came under his care on th e 2d of M arc h. The entry in his book on March 3 was cont i nued b ac k . She was then in the in firmary. Wit ness examined her ; a nd she said she had fallen out of bed a few d ays previous l y. She complained of no after illness and there was none at that time. Witness ordered her to be confined to bed for a few days. Witness asked her what she could eat. She said she could eat nothing, and he put her on No. 3 diet, which entitled her to have for breakfast soz. buttered bread and a pint of tea, with milk and sugar; for di nner s oz. coo k e d meat and Soz. potatoes or bread ; and for supper t h e same as for breakfast. Wit ness saw her daily. Sh e slept in a room containing three beds, and there was an anteroom to it containing a fireplace. The bed, bedding, and furniture were complete in these rooms. There were two blankets and sheets and a counter. pane allowed. Witness, as a rule, asked his patients if they would desire a change, and he gave what they wished. The dietary was not a cost to witness, it was wholly paid for out of the rates. The medicines he provided. He did not know whether the guardians paid for cod-liver oil. Witnes wan not in the least restricted in giving wine, brandy, gin, or porter, nor had he ever received any intimation from the guardians that his mode of treating the sick poor was too expensive. On the Saturday previous to the death of the deceased there was nothing alarming in her illness, but she got typhoid fever. He bad not given her stimulants, for it was not a case for such. He believed there had been a case of fever in the ward before. On the following Sunday, when he visited the ward, he was told she died that Morning in convulsions. He considered that the congestion of the lungs arose from typhoid fever and the convulsions. William Smith deposed that ho was 68 years of age, and had been an inmate of Bethnal• green Workhouse for three years. He attended regularly at the lobby gate of the workhouse leading to the relieving officer's office. He re membered Mrs Anfield coming to the workhouse on the Monday before the Wednesday on which she was admitted. She came in a cab with her husband. They got out of the cab and they wanted witness to allow Mrs Anfield to eh down in the lobby. He did not allow her because he was not permitted to do so. It was a dry evening in the begin ning of March. Deceased stood leaning against the work house wall, and others were about her. Mr Anfield came out, and said he could not get an order, and they should get a cab and take her back. Witness did not report the affair to Mr :Myrick or Mr Cardwell. The Commissioner said that the witness saw the woman in dreadful misery and sickness. But he (the Commissioner) did not blame the witness. The guardians could not expect anything better from a man to whom they paid no salary, and over whom they had no particular control. Aaron Anfield said the witness had made a mistake as to the day that was not rainy, The Monday deceased was outside the gates was a very wet day. He came to the workhouse on the Monday to get his wife into the infirmary. Witness first stopped at Mr. Cardwell's gate, saw him, and showed an order. Mr. Cardwell said, " That is an order to see the Board." Witness had been given an order by Mr. Christy to see the guardians at 2 o'clock, but witness had not gone. Witness was now aware he ought to have gone. Both Mr. Cardwell and the other man told him she mid not he admitted without an order. The Commissioner said it was the bounden duty of the porter, etc., to report a case of urgent necessity instantly to the master, who should admit instanter, without an order. Mr. Card well said he never saw the man that day at all. The witness said that on the Tuesday he asked Dr. Moore for an order for nourishment, and carried it to Mr. Christy. The latter said, " I will give no nourishment." He also said there was an order for them both to come into the workhouse and in they should come. Witness said it was very hard the parish should be encumbered with two, when only one wanted to come in. Witness was refused nourishment, and was leaving when a man was sent after him to say he might come in. Witness did not, however, get an order, but he was told his wife would be let in next day or that night. On the Wednesday witness had some trouble to get her in, as Mr. Cardwell said it was more than his place was worth to admit her without an order ; but at last he said he re membered the case, and he let her in. Witness saw her twice in the workhouse. The first time she did not, com plain, and she said she had nothing to fret at. The next time she complained that the meat was so hard and some times so raw that she could not eat it. She had no porter or wine, &c. Mary Ann Anfield, daughter of the last witness, identified Mr. Cardwell as the person whom they first spoke to at the workhouse gates on the Monday. Witness saw deceased in the workhouse infirmary a fortnight afterwards. The de ceased complained much of the food, and said that if wit ness had not got her food she should have had nothing. She complained of having no nourishment. She asked to be taken home. Witness took her some tea and sugar and some biscuits. The nurse was present when she complained. She had meat given to her, but she could not eat it, it was so hard. No one searched witness, cr asked her what she brought in. Aaron Anfield said that he and deceased and his daugh- ters earned altogether about 20s a week. Mr. Cardwell, recalled, said that he had heard the evi dence of both the Anfields, and he still adhered to his depo sition that he had never seen them at all on Monday. He would not say that he might not be mistaken, but on Board days between 100 and 200 applicants came with tickets, and the Anfields might havo been among them. At this sage the proceedings were adj ,urned. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIM M—The successive mils from America are once more full of interest, and we (doubt, indeed, whether at any period of the war more important issues have been at stake than seem pending at this moment. In four of the State 3 of the old Union operatons on a considerable scale are now in pro gress, and it really appears as if the present cam paign woTd produce results more decisive than have hitherto been attainable. So vast, however, is the theatre of war, and so remote from each other are the various expeditions of the belligerents, that it requires some pains to disentangle and arrange the condensed summaries of the telegrams. Perhaps we shall best perform this office for the reader by separating the scenes now presented, and at- t idling to each field of operations the importance which it appears to merit. It will be recollected, no doubt, that at the opening of the campaign all the interest of the war eves conceived to centre in the great camps of the North-East and the South-wear. Meade and Lee in Virginia, and Grant and Johnston in Tennessee, absorbed the at tention of the public. The first essay was made by the armies of the two last mentioned Generals, and it ended in the discomfiture of the Federals. They relinquished apparently all hopes of success in this quarter, transferred General Grant to Virginia i❑ the place of Meade, and concentrated their efforts on another expedition against Richmond. Of the prospects of this great enterprise we shall speak by and by, but we must observe in passing that the South-Western armies of both combatants appear to have been inactive since the first weeks of the campaign. The recent operations in Ten nessee and Louisiana, which have resulted so favour ably for the Confederates, were conducted by in dependent forces or detachments, and were not shared, as far as we can learn, by the great Confe derate army of the South, which won last year the battle of Chickamauga, and which at the beginning of the present year confronted the Northern army at Chattanooga, and barred the road to Georgia. These two great armies seem now to be doing no thing. The armies in Virginia are preparing to do a great deal, but those we must leave for a moment while we attend to the minor expeditions which have been recently undertaken, and i❑ which the South has been so generally successful. The most important of these was the advance of General Banks into the north-western angle of Louisiana— the province, be it nnaembered, which he claims to govern as a conquered district from its capital of New Orleans. How very imperfectly this " conquest" has been achieved may be in ferred from the simple fact of the expedition itself. New Orleans was taken early in the war, the command of the Mississippi was acquired by laborious operations, a strong force of gunboats was stationed on the river, and Louisiana was brought as far under military occupation as any State of the Confederacy could be. Nevertheless, in this " con quered" province we find the Governor compelled to advance with a large force and a strong flotilla of gunboats against a hostile army, and it is certain that in this enterprise he received a severe defeat. The scene of the first engagement was near Shreve port, on the Red River, one of the great effluents of the Mississippi. Here, in the extreme north-west ern angle of the State, it is not denied that Banks was beaten, and that he lost some thousands of men and all his guns. After this he retired in a south easterly direction, still on the Red River to Natchitoches, but more recent intelligence con tains a report that in a second engagement the Confederates were repulsed, with the loss of three Generals killed on the field. Considering that Banks would be fighting under thsecover of his gun boats, this second story, though unconfirmed by the latest advises, is not absolutely improbable. The fire of these vessels might compensate for his lost artillery, and prove too heavy for the Soutnern infantry. It is possible, however, that by this second engagement is meant only an attack confessed to have been made by the Confederates on the retreat ing flotilla. After their victory at Shreveport they followed up the enemy, and asseited the squadron so fiercely that the transports, we are told, barely es• taped capture.:,Still they did not actually succeed in arresting its progress, and this encounter, in which it is likely enough that they suffered severely from the heavy gnus of the flotilla, is perhaps the affair described as a renewal of the first engagement. Upon the whole, then, we find that the military Governor of Louisiana, after being drawn to the frontiers of his command by a Confederate army, is beaten in a pitched battle, and is not protected even by a fleet of gunboats from a fierce assault on his retreating force. The next scene of interest will be familiar enough to those who remember the early operations of the war. It lies on the coast of North C irolina, at the mouth of Roanoke River, in Albemarle Sound. In these parts the Federals eehieved some of their first conquests, but their footing in the State was slight, and the vitality of the Confederate arms less been shown in a succession of efforts to dislodge them from their position. The most recent attempt of the Southerners has been directed against the town of Plymouth, and on the 17th of te last month they made a desperate attack on a fort in the immediate vicinity. In this they were repulsed, but on the following day the assault was re peated, but as we are told that Plymouth, at the departure of the instils was actually invested, it is probable that Furt Grey has fallen. The most re markable incident of the affair, however, is the ap pearance of a Confederate ram, which destroyed three out of the five Federal gunboats lying in the Roanoke, and acquired complete command of the river. The Federals have sent a &Tina to the rescue, and are moving up large bodies of troops from the force recently engaged in the siege of Charleston, but it was anticipated that Plymouth would be lost, and that Newhern, another impor tant torn at the mouth of the Neuse River in Pam lico Sound, might perhaps share the same fate. In the midst of these diecottragements the Fede rals are preparing for one more camp sign on the unlucky ground of Virginia. If we inquire into the chances of this adventure, we shall not find much i'easou for thinking them more in favour of the North than before. The tenet that can be said is that General Gran', if not a military genius, is a good practical soldier, endowed with determined resolution, and competent to avail himself of the lessons suggested by the misfortunes of his prede cessors. The Army of the Potomac, now placed under his command, is probably neither better nor worse than in former years, but the difficulties of the enterprise before him are probably increased by the nAperienno and snecess which his adversaries have gained. Richmond is t no doubt, stronger than ever. General Lee, we may presume, is not weaker. Of actual movements we learn only that the Sontbern Commander has been joined by his favourite col league, General Loogetreet ; that both sides are mei:meaning preparatory to action; and that the Government of Washington, with an ominous anti cipation of re4ults, ban "stopped the transmission of news from Virginia." This, then, is the general position of affairs, and the survey conducts us to conclusions very favourable to the Confederates. In Virginia, it is true, the fortune of war has still to be tried, and any considerable success in this quarter would probably be hailed by the Federals as an adequate recompense for all the disappointments of the year. But in that view there would be more sentiment than substance. A victory in Virginia would do nothing for the Northern cause in Louisie aria, in Tennessee, or even in North Carolina. The telling fact in favour of the South is that in all quarters at once, and after three years of war, it has shown itself at least equal, if not superior, to its adversaries. If the Federals are beaten even in Louisiana, if they cannot hold their own even on the shores of North Carolina, and if a mere raid like that of General Forrest in Tennessee can deprive _ _ them of their positions on the Mississippi, what have they really accomplished by their expenditure of a million of men and hundreds of millions of money ? That question, we should think, is one which Americans must needs ask themselves before long ; and if Grant should fail in retrieving the fortunes of the North by some signal triumph in Virginia, it may, perhaps, receive a decisive answer. HERALD.—The Conference has been adjourned until Monday. It might as well have been adjourned sine die. For although Sir George Grey declares the proceedings of the Conference to be private, we know quite enough of what has taken place in the large room at the Treasury, to say that unless some mar vellous change comes over the spirit of the Govern ments represented there yesterday before Monday next, all parties will then acknowledge the hope lessness of any further deliberations. The truth is that the German Powers are determined to set the Treaty of London and the public opinion of Europe at defiance. They accepted the Conference because, as no basis was proposed, the acceptance left them tree to continue their attacks upon Denmark, and free to raise any demands which the weakness of the Danes and the cowardice of their professing friends might suggest. The meeting of the Confer ence has not in the slightest degree hampered their military operations. INlarshal Wrangel continues to pillage Jutland in the style of a German free booter, and there is no cessation of the infamous terrorism by which Schleswig is being made Ger man. Upon frivolous pretexts the first silting of the Conference was rendered null, At the next de mands were made, which were quite unexpected by Denmark and the neutral Powers. At last the pro position of the neutral Powers for an armistice was met by the German representatives with the plea that they !must refer it to their Governments. On Monday the result of that reference—a refusal to accede to any terms which do not place Den mark absolutely at their mercy—will be announced, and the neutral Powers, unless they mean to take an active part in the destruction of the Danish monarchy, will have nothing left them but to dis solve the Conference, or adjourn it sine die. The Prussian Government is satisfied, has been satisfied since last December, that the English Government would not redeem its pledges to Denmark, and that if boldly confronted, would eat all its big words and it has been able to satisfy Austria upon that point. Herr Van Bismarck treats the remon• strances of the English Cabinet with neglect and its menaces with derision, He fears no opposition from England; he has managed so to involve Austria that she cannot oppose his projects or even refuse to lend them her assistance. He be lieves that Frence and Russia will not interfere, and he proposes to himself nothing less than the annexation to Prussia, directly or indirectly, of Schleswig and Holstein, and, perhaps of the whole of continental Denmark. Professing, therefore, his readiness to agree to an armistice, he insists upon terms which it is impossible for Denmark to accept, end which the other neutral Powers cannot ratify. Whilst the Conference protracts its idle labours the Prussien army is consolidating its conquest. If it breaks up his position is not at all affected. The Danes cannot recover Jutland or Schleswig, and the combined Austrian and Prussian fleets will able to emulate the exploits of the armies and gain deathless renown by destroying the far smaller Danish fleet. The Prussian Government is not disturbed in the least by the apFe Irene° of the Channel fleet in the Downs. It is not appalled by the solemn decaration of the Ministerial organs that Ad miral Dacres will present the Austrian fleet from entering the Baltic. The Aurora may have gone to the Baltic. The plans of Herr Von Bismarck wilt not be in the slightest degree affected. He knows that she will do nothing, and that if the whole squadron follows her it will equally do nothing, except perhaps look on another massacre of Sinope. He has taken the measure of Earl Ruesell, and he will pursue unswervingly his ambitious schemes un til other Governments, whose word he can believe, tell him to pause or Earl Russell astonishes him by acting for once up to his word. This demonstration of the Channel fleet is a wretched farce. The Govern ment ordered it for the Downs with the distinct understanding—for that was the condition upon which the decision of the Cabinet was arrived at — that it should go no further, or, going further, merely make a voyage of observation. If Austria and Prussia could be frightened, well and good. If they would not be, why then they must be left to pursue their own wilful ways. That is the policy of her Majesty's Government. It tries to frighten a man who has already disregarded all its threats with the most complete success, and when it is quite convinced that he will not be frightened it will again tell him that he must " take the conse quences" and leave him to do undisturbed what he pleases. So low has the English Government sunk that it appeals abjectly to France for aid. A few weeks ago Lord Clarendon was sent over to entreat the Emperor to help Earl Russell out of his difficulties, and to say the word which England dare not say. The Emperor was no doubt flattered by this appeal to him to return good for evil ; he would have been rather more than human if he had not been pleased to see the Minister who had wantoniy insulted him press trate himself—albeit vicariously—at his feet ; he showed himself a little softened, he professed to for give though he could not forget ; but he refused to act with a Government which he knew would leave him in the lurch as soon as it had committed him to a path which his honour forbade him to abandon. The Ministerial organs circulated lying assurances of the success of Lord Clarendou's mission. They informed th© world that harmony was restored between the two Courts, and bade Austria and Prussia take cure and moderate their demands. Austria and Prussia were imposed upon for a few days by this flourish of trumpets. They were soon, however, undeceived. They soon satisfied themselves that Lord Clarendon went home per fectly empty handed, and had to report to his colleagues that, although the Emperor was exs tremely civil to him personally, regretted deeply the wanton sacrifice of life, and professed a strong desire to see peace restored to the world, yet his Majesty would not go beyond general declarations, and absolutely refused to concert with the English Government any measures to curb the ambition of Germany. Now fresh and mere urgent appeals for help are addressed to the Emperor. The organ of the Administration addresses him in a ludicrous strain of mingled entreaty and upbraiding. "He could save Denmark if he would. He could prevent this great public crime. Why doesn't he? He will have to punish it one day at great cost. He is the arbiter of Europe. Why does he neglect the duties of that position." Never has an English Government crouched so servilely as the present before France. Compared with these whining supplicants the Ministers of Caarles IL were honest, inde pendent men. Good God, has it come to this that as English Ministry can unblushingly avow that England is powerless to prevent a great wrong ; is unable to vindicate her honour, and must appeal to France for assistance and protection, and that the people of England bear patiently this dreadful humiliation ? If we cannot send a fleet to the Baltic without the permit of the Sovereign of France, if we are no longer able to challenge the navies of third-rate States unless we put a French admiral at the head of our fleet, let us give up all pretence of keeping an army and navy, abandon the costly title of a Great Power, save the mil lions we waste in building ships we dare not use, and devote ourselves exclusively to shop keeping. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. A Court of Common Council was held yesterday at Guild hall. The Lord Mayor presided. POLICE-STATIONS IN THE CITY. Deputy LOTT, the deputy chairman of the police commit tee, brought up a report recommending the purchase of some land in Bishopsgate- street, the property of Christ's, Hospital, as a site for erecting a new police-station in place of the present Bishopsgate and Seething-lane police-stations, which have long been reported as unfit for such a purpose, having regard to the health and comfort of the police offi cers, and the convenience of the public. The report also recommended that the police surgeon should, in future, bo en tic.ely under the control of the police commissioner, Col, Frazer. _ _ _ INTr.II. L. TAYLOR expressed his opinion that this Court ought not to divest itself of any powers that belonged to it, without consideration, and he suggested that this p , ,rtion of the report should be re-considered, and that the whulo report should be printed. Deputy LOTT consented to this, but the purchase o the land was agreed to. THE MANOR'S COURT. Deputy Jo Es; broughtup a report from the Law, Parlia mentary, and City Courts Committee, which recommended that a sum of £6,022 standing to the credit of the Mayor's Court Fund, should be carried to the account of the City'a cash, and that the salary of Mr. Brandon, the registrar of the court, be increased from £7OO to £l,OOO a year. Tie referred to the large increase which had taken place in the business of the Lord Mayor's Court, and the additional labour that had in consequence been thrown upon the re gistrar, and also to the fact of such a large sum having accrued as a profit to the Corporation, owing to the increase in the number of suitors, and he moved that the report 13{ agreed to. Mr. H. L. TAVV•oR urged the Court not to forget that the surplus alluded to was obtained from the fees paid by the public, and he said that it appeared to him that the Corporation ought not to lay itself open to the charge of making a profit by the administration of justice. (hear.) lie fully admitted the able manner in which the duties of the registrar were performed, but he could not help think ing that it would be better to reduce the fees that were charged to the suitors, than to make the amount so ob tained a ground for increasing the salaries of the officers of the court. He should, therefore, move as an amendment that the salary of the registrar be increased to £l,OOO per annum by the payment of £lOO additional per annum from the present time. Deputy SCAILELL said he could not allow it to go forth to the world that the Corporation were making a profit by the administration of justice, for it was not the case, The fadt was, that formerly the salaries of the officers of this court were paid out of the Corporation funds, but at the sugges tion of the eminent judge who presided at the Lord Mayor's Court a re-adjustment of the fees and expenses was made, and at present he believed there was very little surplus. The amendment was then negatived, and the original re port agreed to. NENEVOLENCE. The Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee brought up a. report which recommended a grant of 60 guineas to the Great Northern Hospital, 50 guineas towards the erection., of a free chapel for the operatives of Deptford, 200 guineas, to the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest,. 100 guineas in aid of the fund for the relief of the widows and orphans of Barking fishermen who lost their lives during the terrible storm in December last, and 100 guineas to the Thames Angling Preservation Society. The committee, in reference to the last mentioned report, alluded to the great exertions that were being made by the society to increase the quantity of fish in the river Thames; and it appeared by a report recently published that they had placed 22,000 young trout in the river, as well as 7,000 salmon, 2,000 grayling, and 3,000 char, and that they had reason to believe they would all live. They also e'pressed a hope that when the new system of sewerage was more fully developed the river Thames would once again bo peopled with fish to a large extent, thus affording a supply of good and wholesome food, and at the same time of harm less recreation. The report was unanimously agreed to. The Court shortly afterwards adjourned. COUNTRY MARKETS. _______-. t ----,~ _~. BIRMINGHAM—THuusDAY. There was a fair supply of English wheat to-day, and the turn in price was in favour of the seller; but we make no alteration in our quotations. Barley unaltered. Outs ruled firm. Beans and peas were rather advanced in price, —English wheat was sold at 40s to 46s for white, and 36a to 43s per 36 stone for red, Barley, new malting, 30s to 38s per qr ; grinding, 24s to 28s Oats, old, 22s to 30a per 30 stone ; Irish, 18s to 24e. Beans, 31s to 40s per qr. Peas, 32s to 42s per 36 stone. BURTON• ON-TRENT-THURSDAY. Old white wheat..42s to 45s I Old red wheat, 39s to 43s New do. ..41s to 45s I New do. „Ws to 403 Malting barley....32s to 36s I Oats l9a to 28s Grinding d0.....27s to 308 I Beans 36s to 423 MANCIIESTER—THVRsDAY. A very limited attendance at our market to-day, and English wheat met with a limited sale, at prices somewhat higher than previous quotations. Flour also improved itu price, out with a slow demand. Other articles ruled Urra, but inactivo. BRISTOL-THURSDAY. English wheat in short supply this morning, and sold freely at Is per quarter advance. The same may be said of foreign, with a slow butiness. In Larloys more doing at fully the currency of this day week. Liberal supplies of oats, and late prices generally maintained. Peas in better demand. Beans slow. EDINBURGH GRAIN-MAY 4. To•-day there was a moderate supply of grain, which met a fair sale at about last week's prices. Wheat on the top is Od up ..average Os 4d down. Barley on the top is Od up .........average Os 8d down. Oats on the top Os 6d up .......average Os 4d down. Beans on the top 2s Oct up Average Prices. Wheat 3Bs 2d Oats Barley Total Supply and Sales. Wheat ...1201 qrs Sold 584 qrs 8ar1ey........ 584 qrs Sold 871 qrs Oats Beans 222 qrs Sold 199 qrs Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 39s Od ; extras, 37a Od ; superfine, 35s Od ; fine, 33s Od. Foreign Mail Packet List MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton....... May 19. via Marseilles .. May 13, Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. May 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. May 22. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. May 19. via Marseilles ...May,,l3. Falkland Islands •• Gibraltar, via Southampton .. May India (Calcutta), and C e yl on , via Southampton.. May 19. . - _ . via Marseilles.... May 13. India (Bombay), via Southampton .. May 12. . via Marseilles May 6, Portugal.... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southamptoo May 12, via Marseilles May 6 Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... May 5. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet. May 10. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and leneriffe May 10. Bahamas, via Now York June 2 Mexico All parts of West Indies, including Chili..Pe t m , iA , California. and Brititch Columbia ... a . , ' Mons. Dessanges is about to paint a historical picture of the Conference in session. The magnificent picture of the polar bears, by Sir Edwin Landseer, which by many is considered his best picture, has been bought by Mr. Coleman, of the Royal Exchange, for £3,500; and " La Gloria," by Mr. Phillip, is going into the collection of Mr. Pender.—The Owl. Persons who have been in the habit of paying weekly as burrowers of Sewing Machines will do well to apply at once and become members of Messrs. Watts and Co.'s Sewing Machine Clubs. By so doing they will not only save the money they now foolishly throw away, but at the same time secure to themselves the possession of one of the best and most celebrated sewing machines in the world. Every in formation given on application; or by letter addressed, with a stamped envelope, to Messrs. Watts and Co., 12, Beaufort buildings, Strand, London, W.C., where merr rs are en. rolled daily between 10 and 4; Saturdays, 10 antic. Births. CIINLIFFE.—On the 3d inst., at Myerscough-hall, Lanca shire, the wife of Major Cunliffe, of a son. FRY.—On the 3d inst., at Charlton House Eastbourne, the wife of Captain John F. F r y, 91 st Highlanders, of son. lIIWARDEN.—On the 3d inst., at 5, Princes-gardens, the Viscountess liawarden, of a daughter. PARTRIDGE.—On the sth inst., at Witham House, Essex ) the wife of Robert Partridge, of a daughter. Marriages. AUSTIN—JENNINGS.—On the 4th inst , at Saint James's, Dover, Captain k rederick Austin, 60th Royal Rifles, to Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of J. Jennings, Esq., of The Elms, Old Windsor. CiTtxy—Eszcounz.--On the 3d inst., at Eckington, Derbyshire, the ILv. Richard Cayley, rector of Scamp. ton, Lincolnshire, and third son of Sir Digby Caylev, Bart., of flrompton, Yorkshire, to Mary, fifth dhughter of the Rev. E. B. Estcourt. Deaths. ASPLIN.—On the 2d inst., Charles Asplin, Esq,, of W akar mg Hall, Essex, aged 80. Botn.—On the 4th inst,, at Blackheath, John Boyd, Esq aged 66. BELOWN.—On the 2d inst., at Boulogne, Captain William Helsham Brown, of St. Mary Hall, Lynn, Norfolk, aged 70. HEELAS.—On the 3d inst , at Buckhurst, Wokingham, Wm. ILelas, aged 62. London: Printed and Prbllched by WILLIAM AND lIE;VS of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at 'lna SUN Office No. 112, Strand, An the Precinct of the Savoy, n the counly pf Mii(Uesex.7-Friday, May 6, 1884, .*